US11482998B2ActiveUtilityA1

Radio frequency switching circuit

55
Assignee: QORVO US INCPriority: Jun 12, 2019Filed: Jan 17, 2020Granted: Oct 25, 2022
Est. expiryJun 12, 2039(~12.9 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Nadim Khlat
H04B 1/44H03K 17/693H03K 17/063H03K 17/122H03K 17/102
55
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
8
References
20
Claims

Abstract

A radio frequency (RF) switching circuit is provided. The RF switching circuit includes a low-figure-of-merit (FOM) switching path that requires a longer duration to be switched on and off and a high-FOM switching path having a higher FOM than the low-FOM switching path but that can be switched on and off faster than the low-FOM switching path. In one aspect, the RF switching circuit passes an RF signal via the high-FOM switching path while toggling the low-FOM switching path to help reduce overall switching time of the RF switching circuit. In another aspect, the RF switching circuit passes the RF signal via the low-FOM switching path whenever the low-FOM switching path is switched on to help improve overall FOM of the RF switching circuit. As a result, the RF switching circuit may achieve a good overall response time and a reasonable overall FOM.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A radio frequency (RF) switching circuit comprising:
 a signal input to receive an RF signal; 
 a signal output to output the RF signal; 
 a hybrid switch circuit comprising:
 a low-figure-of-merit (FOM) switching path coupled between the signal input and the signal output; and 
 a high-FOM switching path coupled in parallel to the low-FOM switching path between the signal input and the signal output; and 
 
 a control circuit configured to:
 cause the high-FOM switching path to be switched on earlier than the low-FOM switching path in a switch-on operation and remain switched on until the low-FOM switching path is switched off; and 
 cause the high-FOM switching path to be switched off later than the low-FOM switching path in a switch-off operation. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The RF switching circuit of  claim 1  wherein the hybrid switch circuit is configured to pass the RF signal from the signal input to the signal output via the low-FOM switching path when the low-FOM switching path is switched on. 
     
     
       3. The RF switching circuit of  claim 1  wherein the hybrid switch circuit is configured to pass the RF signal from the signal input to the signal output via the high-FOM switching path when the low-FOM switching path is switched off. 
     
     
       4. The RF switching circuit of  claim 1  wherein:
 the low-FOM switching path comprises a first low-FOM switch coupled between the signal input and the signal output, the first low-FOM switch having a first FOM and corresponding to a first switching duration; and 
 the high-FOM switching path comprises:
 a second low-FOM switch coupled to the signal input, the second low-FOM switch having the first FOM and corresponding to the first switching duration; and 
 a high-FOM switch coupled between the second low-FOM switch and the signal output, the high-FOM switch having a second FOM higher than the first FOM and corresponding to a second switching duration shorter than the first switching duration. 
 
 
     
     
       5. The RF switching circuit of  claim 4  wherein in the switch-on operation, the control circuit is further configured to:
 close the first low-FOM switch to switch on the low-FOM switching path; and 
 close the second low-FOM switch and the high-FOM switch to switch on the high-FOM switching path. 
 
     
     
       6. The RF switching circuit of  claim 5  wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
 toggle the second low-FOM switch at a first switch-on time to cause the second low-FOM switch to close at a second switch-on time after the first switch-on time; and 
 toggle the high-FOM switch and the first low-FOM switch concurrently at the second switch-on time. 
 
     
     
       7. The RF switching circuit of  claim 5  wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
 toggle the second low-FOM switch at a first switch-on time to cause the second low-FOM switch to close at a second switch-on time after the first switch-on time; 
 toggle the high-FOM switch at the second switch-on time; and 
 toggle the first low-FOM switch at a third switch-on time in between the first switch-on time and the second switch-on time. 
 
     
     
       8. The RF switching circuit of  claim 7  wherein the third switch-on time is determined to prevent the first low-FOM switch from being fully closed at the second switch-on time. 
     
     
       9. The RF switching circuit of  claim 4  wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
 open the first low-FOM switch to switch off the low-FOM switching path; and 
 open at least one of the second low-FOM switch and the high-FOM switch to switch off the high-FOM switching path. 
 
     
     
       10. The RF switching circuit of  claim 9  wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
 toggle the first low-FOM switch at a first switch-off time to cause the first low-FOM switch to open at a second switch-off time after the first switch-off time; and 
 toggle the high-FOM switch and the second low-FOM switch concurrently at the second switch-off time. 
 
     
     
       11. The RF switching circuit of  claim 9  wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
 toggle the first low-FOM switch at a first switch-off time to cause the first low-FOM switch to open at a second switch-off time after the first switch-off time; and 
 toggle the high-FOM switch and the second low-FOM switch concurrently at a third switch-off time after the first switch-off time and before the second switch-off time. 
 
     
     
       12. The RF switching circuit of  claim 11  wherein the third switch-off time is determined to prevent the first low-FOM switch from being fully open at the third switch-off time. 
     
     
       13. The RF switching circuit of  claim 4  wherein the first low-FOM switch and the second low-FOM switch are microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) switches. 
     
     
       14. The RF switching circuit of  claim 13  wherein the second low-FOM switch comprises a lesser number of switchlets than the first low-FOM switch. 
     
     
       15. The RF switching circuit of  claim 4  wherein the high-FOM switch comprises a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) switch. 
     
     
       16. The RF switching circuit of  claim 15  wherein the SOI switch is provided in a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) die. 
     
     
       17. The RF switching circuit of  claim 16  wherein the CMOS die comprises an SOI shunt switch coupled between the signal output and a ground. 
     
     
       18. The RF switching circuit of  claim 16  wherein the CMOS die comprises a charge pump configured to generate an operating voltage for closing the first low-FOM switch and the second low-FOM switch. 
     
     
       19. The RF switching circuit of  claim 16  wherein the CMOS die comprises:
 an SOI shunt switch coupled between the signal output and a ground; and 
 a charge pump configured to generate an operating voltage for closing the first low-FOM switch and the second low-FOM switch. 
 
     
     
       20. The RF switching circuit of  claim 1  further comprising:
 at least one second signal output to output the RF signal; and 
 at least one second hybrid switch circuit coupled between the signal input and the at least one second signal output.

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